Sea Gulls to host football playoff against Muhlenberg

Salisbury slot receiver Shamar Gray, 28, works to the end zone against Union College in the at Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury on Saturday. (Justin Odendhal Photo)

The Salisbury University Football Sea Gulls will host another playoff game this Saturday at Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury.

Salisbury advanced over the weekend, when it and its opponent combined for 103 points and 1,051 yards in an offensive slugfest over the No. 13 Union Dutchmen, 62-41.

Salisbury now advances to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.

SU remains undefeated at 11-0; Union lost its first game its own historic season, finishing the year at 11-1.

First Quarter

Salisbury used the big play to get the scoring started early. Jack Lanham found a wide-open Lenard Prue for a 60-yard touchdown pass three plays into the game to give Salisbury the early 7-0 lead.

Union responded with a long pass of their own when Will Bellamy found Andre Ross Jr. for a 52-yard touchdown.

Salisbury regained the lead, 14-7 in the middle of the first quarter, three plays after a Mike-Ryan Mofor 45-yard run to get inside the Union red zone. Lanham converted a 3rd-and-1 and found Chad Gleason on a swing pass for a five-yard touchdown reception.

Union once again responded fast with a two-play, 81-yard drive which was capped off by a Bellamy 21-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Crystal.

The back-and-forth scoring continued on Salisbury’s ensuing drive. A Damien King 28-yard kick return set up Salisbury near midfield. Four plays later, Michael Fowler took a pitch 29 yards for a touchdown.

Marc Zazzaro returned the ensuing kickoff 57 yards to the Salisbury 38-yard line. A play later, Bellamy connected with Finn Duran for 38 yards to tie the game at 21 with 3:58 left in the quarter.

Second Quarter

Right before the second quarter started, Lanham found Hunter Cleaver on the sideline for a 31-yard pass to put Salisbury on the edge of the Union red zone. Four plays later, Mofor bulldozed his way into the end zone from eight yards out.

After Gleason returned a punt 50 yards to the Union 20, Salisbury was able to go up two scores, 35-21 when Fowler scored his second touchdown of the day on a 20-yard run.

The Salisbury defense forced an errant Bellamy throw into the waiting arms of Sean Carroll.

The offense moved down the field in eight plays and the near five-minute drive was bookended by a Shamar Gray eight-yard touchdown run with 1:25 left in the half.

Needing to score before the half, Union used the quick-strike ability to convert a two-minute drill and cut the Salisbury lead to 42-28 right before halftime on a Bellamy to Ross 18-yard touchdown.

Third Quarter

Union got the ball to start the second half and trimmed the Salisbury lead to 42-34, two minutes into the half.

Salisbury got their passing game going on its first drive of the second half with Lanham finding Fowler on the seams for a 30-yard touchdown catch to put Salisbury up 48-34.

Both teams’ defense starting buckling down as the teams traded turnovers. Union looked to score with three minutes left in the quarter but Carroll jumped the route in the end zone for his second interception of the day.

Fourth Quarter

Union made it a one-score game, 48-41 on an Ike Irabor one-yard touchdown run to cap off a 14-play drive.

Salisbury answered with a long drive of their own with a Mofor 13-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left in the game.

The Salisbury defense forced a four-and-out on Union’s next possession to allow Salisbury to take over deep into Union territory.

A play after Lanham converted a 3rd-and-9 play with a 17-yard keeper to put the Sea Gulls in a goal-to-go situation, Mofor added the insurance that Salisbury needed with a 10-yard run to pull ahead 62-41 on Union.

GAME NOTES

Union outgained Salisbury, 531-520.

Salisbury showed off their balanced attack with 305 rushing yards and 215 passing yards in the game.

Salisbury held on the ball for 34:22 compared to Union’s 25:38.

Jack Lanham went 9-for-15 in the air for 215 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Lanham carried the ball nine times for 29 yards.

As your community newspaper, we are committed to making Salisbury a better place. You can help support our mission by making a voluntary contribution to the newspaper.

Comments

Business Insights is a special integrated marketing program that gives businesses a chance to publish content in the newspaper and on salisburyindependent.net. For more information, email adsonline@newszap.com.

advertisement

Print Edition

The Salisbury Independent is published every Thursday. It is available via mail and home delivery in select areas of Salisbury. You can find it in retail outlets throughout the Salisbury area, or read our free e-newspaper, a digital replica of the print edition.